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10 things to do in Colombo

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you would never have heard me being critical of any city. I’m easy to please – I am not fussy about the kind of places I like (although I do have my preferences). However, my recent visit to Colombo left me hugely disappointed! I had hardly a day to spend in the capital of Sri Lanka and I regretted having spared even that much time, it could have been better spent exploring another city instead. There really isn’t much this city can offer and most of the places I read about or saw pictures of on the internet were nothing like you’d expect! The city was dirty, ill-maintained, lacked any sort of vibe and has a dearth of things to keep one entertained. Here’s my guide on 10 things to do in Colombo, should you have some time to spend in the city. Given a choice, you may skip it altogether and better utilize your time exploring nearby areas.

This place tops the list of things to do in Colombo because It is probably the only place I liked in the city to visit during the daytime. This temple is in the middle of a lake, set against the backdrop of modern buildings (although most of the area around is still under construction). The place is quite small and doesn’t require more than 30 min to explore but you can get some interesting photos of the golden Buddha statues surrounding the main prayer hall. As with any other temple in Sri Lanka, make sure to cover your shoulders and knees before you enter the temple. The surrounding lake is not very clean, nor is the road outside the temple. But it is a peaceful place to spend some time. If you’re interested in Buddhism, you might want to also visit Gangarama Buddhist Temple, not as scenic in terms of location and architecture as Seema Malaka but has ancient relics stored and displayed. The entrance to both the temples (hardly 1km apart from each other) costs a mere Rs 300.

If you’re looking for Sri Lankan souvenirs, Laksala is the best place to visit. It is a government-owned shop and hence reasonably priced. It has branches in several cities of Sri Lanka but the one in Colombo is probably the largest and has the best collection of souvenirs you’ll find in Sri Lanka. Some popular things you’ll find here – keepsakes of elephants, the popular masks which they use in the cultural shows, assorted Ceylon tea, fragrances of cinnamon, jasmine and aloe vera, and clothes made of silk.

3. Learn about Sri Lanka’s history at Independence Square & National Museum

If you’re in the capital of Sri Lanka, you might want to learn a bit more about their history. The Independence Memorial Hall commemorates Sri Lanka’s independence from the British Rule in 1948. All the national events are celebrated at this place now and the architecture of this building incorporates symbols of the country’s rich history. I wasn’t very impressed with the building and since I am not much into museums either, I decided to skip the National Museum. However, if you’re a history enthusiast, you might want to drop in.

City Council Town Hall

4. Pettah’s street market and floating market

I was looking forward to visiting this place after seeing the pictures but the moment I entered, I was heavily put off by the dirty river and the floating markets didn’t seem attractive at all! However, if you haven’t experienced one in other South-east Asian countries, you might want to give this one a shot. The floating markets serve local foods and fruits while you sail in a little boat, stopping to buy/ eat wherever you like. It’s an interesting experience overall, but the one in Colombo certainly isn’t one of the nicer ones I’ve been to. Alternatively, you may also explore the colourful street market in Pettah, one of the livelier areas of the city. I was not happy about buying any clothes from the market (although they were very colourful most of them had serious quality issues) but a walk here is certainly an interesting experience.

5. Walk in the Virahamahadevi Park

There isn’t much in this park except the Buddha statue at one end. It’s a peaceful place nevertheless so if you want to spend some quiet time away from the city, you might want to sit here and reminisce. There is a dirty little pond with some ducks swimming and a peddle boat in case you’re interested but not an attractive thing to do. In one corner, there are horses in an enclosed area, and some food stalls serving local street food. I wouldn’t recommend trying something here unless you’re very confident of your stomach being able to handle it. Don’t be surprised to see a lot of couples hiding between the branches or in corners, being intimate.

6. Relax in an infinity pool overlooking the Indian Ocean

Now, this is one of the best things to do in Colombo. Three of my favourite rooftop bars with infinity pools are – Cinnamon Red Colombo & Ozo Colombo. Unfortunately, the pools are restricted for use only by in-house guests, so you’d probably have to stay in one of the hotels to be able to enjoy a nice swim. Else, you can just visit the rooftop bars next to Ozo to enjoy great views, of both the pool and the sea. If you’re really looking for a swim in an infinity pool, you can walk in and pay Rs. 1000 for access to Jetwings Seven Hotel which offers views of the city, although it’s a bit far off from the ocean.

Infinity pool at OZO Colombo

7. Watch the sun go down at Galle Face Green

Probably the only place that comes close to a beach in Colombo, the view here has also been spoiled by an upcoming Port City project for which the construction has begun. You have a view of the coast here but no way of swimming in the waters (not that the waters are inviting). The coast is lined with several hotels offering lounges and bars with outdoor seating and the public area has food stalls with local street food and other shopping items such as toys. I would recommend avoiding the public area and grab front seats to the sunset at the Sky Lounge(a rooftop outdoor lounge located in Kingsbury Hotel, at one of Galle Face. The construction right in front was a definite spoiler but the lounge does offer good views of the coast and Colombo skyline. The prices, however, are very steep (as most of the five-star hotel bars in the city).

Sunset view from Sky Lounge

8. Visit a rooftop lounge/ bar

Colombo is one of the very few cities in Sri Lanka where there is some semblance of nightlife and lounging culture. However, keep your expectations low as there really isn’t much of liveliness or vibe in the city. One of the nicer rooftop bars to go to is ON14, located in OZO Hotel, slightly far off from the city centre but a good place to enjoy some cocktails and snacks. If you’re short on time, this is the one experience I’d urge you to add to your list of things to do in Colombo, over and above everything else.

Note: Every full moon day is considered religious in Sri Lanka and is a public holiday. Also called ‘Poya Day’, many bars and lounges are shut on this day and those which are open (mostly the ones located in hotels) do not serve alcohol.

Sky Lounge, Colombo

View of Colombo's skyline from Sky Lounge

9. Relish authentic Sri Lankan cuisine

Sri Lanka is the land of spices and curries and you’ll find a lot of cinnamon and coconut flavoured foods. Although you will find a lot of street food on stalls, I wouldn’t recommend trying it, for the sake of your stomach’s health. Walk into one of the popular restaurants such as Ministry of Crab (located in the famous 400-year old Dutch hospital). Don’t be surprised to see a lot of newly married couples getting a photoshoot at the Dutch Hospital, it is one of the oldest buildings in the city and stands out in its fascinating architecture. If seafood is not your thing, you might walk to another one of the many restaurants located in the vicinity, offering a variety of cuisine such as Japanese, International, Italian, etc. For those looking to try the authentic Sri Lankan food, Palmyrah has a chic setting and great food – do not miss out on the Hoppers (a popular local dish) which can be found in different versions such as milk hopper, string hopper and egg hopper. Another one for local cuisine is Upali’s, located near the Virahamahadevi Park. Trying to local cuisine is my recommendation for one of the top things to do in Colombo.

Sri Lankan Egg Hopper

10. Try your luck at a casino

Surprisingly, Colombo has a casino culture! This was not something I expected from the city (not that I’m much into gambling) but it was a pleasant surprise in a city that didn’t seem to have much of a happening vibe. Although not too many, the popular casinos such as Bally’s Casino and Casino Marina will change your perception of the crowd and vibe of Colombo. These casinos usually also provide free pick and drop from major hotels in the city so if you do want to visit one, don’t forget to ask them to get you a chauffeur driven car. Just like many bars and lounges, the casinos are also shut on Poya Day.

Once again, I wouldn’t recommend anyone to spend more than 24 hours in the city and the above list of things to do in Colombo can be checked within that time. Sri Lanka has so much more to see and do outside Colombo that given a choice, I’d recommend you skip the capital city altogether and explore areas like Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage (hardly 45-min drive from Colombo) or Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Sigiriya.

Althought you didnt like Colombo for many reasons I must say the place you suggested look beautiful and interesting. The Seema Malaka temple looks beautiful! And the sunset but be gorgeous both from the infinity pool and the sky bar at the Galle face green! It looks inviting to visit Colombo! But I haveen’t been to Colombia myself so perhaps I can’t say if I would like it. To be honest, is it really that dirty? Is it even worse than certain place in India?

Interesting! I keep hearing good stuff about visiting Sri Lanka but I must admit I haven’t quizzed these people on what they think about Colombo. I’m not always a fan of big cities so I guess this post is a warning I may not like it either!

How high is the rooftop bar tho? My partner and I are never failing to visit a rooftop in every city that we travel to! And of course, OZO Hotel is already on our list! Yes! It’s also nice that it’s far from the city, it’s worth it nevertheless, isn’t it? We’re planning to take a one month trip to Sri Lanka by the end of the year and hopefully, we can do all these things that you’ve recommended!

One month trip would be awesome, you’ll get to see some great wildlife, old temples, forests, beaches and countryside! Colombo won’t be the highlight of your trip, I can tell you that 🙂 On14 at OZO is, as the name says, on the 14th floor.

I have heard such good things about Sri Lanka – but outside the city! It’s refreshing to hear your (brutally) honest opinion about Colombo, I would probably stop off on my way somewhere else but won’t spend too much time there! Cleanliness of a city is sadly a problem in a lot of countries I’ve been to, I usually try to find some redeeming features but there doesn’t seem to be many here!

I have Sri Lanka on my itinerary for later this year, but I can’t say you’ve convinced me that I’ll be enjoying it. I’m interested in that infinity pool, but it doesn’t sound like it’s easily accessible or really enjoyable. Perhaps a walk around the park and a visit to the museum, but otherwise I’ll probably end up at the adventure parks in the country. It is good to have a heads up on what to expect though.

I’m really sorry you didn’t have the best time in Colombo but I truly appreciate the honesty in this post. It’s never fun to have a poor travel experience, because for me I had the idea of wasting time that could have been better spent exploring somewhere else but you clearly made the most of it and I think this guide will be very helpful for those who still want to give it the old college try. Thanks for sharing!

I have gone to Sri Lanka, but stayed in Colombo for day and toured on all places. I thought Colombo as a shopping destination, but Colombo has many places to visit. Ancient Buddhist temple and Independence museum looks interesting. Drinks and hanging out at Sky Lounge looks so cool.

I love that you were so candid about your feelings on Colombo. I appreciate it actually, because at least those who get to read your post and plan a visit there won’t hold their expectations too high. This isn’t a country that I want to explore or visit, but it is always nice to read about other places/culture. I’m not sure if I’d go after you saying you can’t wait to get out of there, LOL. But at least made good use of what time you had to spend there.

Colombo has not been on our Sri Lanka list except as a layover maybe. And looking at your post, I think it has some places to see but I would prefer to spend time in other destinations. The food is interesting, though. Never heard of milk hopper, string hopper and egg hopper.

I vividly remember Sri Lanka from a trip when I was a little kid – but we were only on the beach. This view of a big city is realistic, even if you can’t recommend it. But the rooftop bars, temple, and food all look interesting. And I’d be curious about a floating market. It’s good to know that a travel blogger is willing to **not** recommend a spot, so thank you.

Such a shame Colombo was disappointing for you but I do understand where you’re coming from Medha, I’ve experienced myself – You walk into a place and you think to yourself or vent out loud (like I do) what the hell is this place – You try and give it a chance but it doesn’t get any better – I know from reading another of your Sri Lanka post you’ve had a better time in other places 😀

I do think that Colombo is worth visiting for a couple of its museums/cultural sites and also because it is home to where so many of the people in Sri Lanka live & work. It also has some of the country’s top restaurants. But that said, I agree, my husband has visited 3 times, and after a day there is just not too much to see and there are much more interesting cities (from a tourist perspective anyway) to visit in the country.

I love your honesty here. Sometimes destinations just don’t live up to expectations, or simply disappoint, and that’s ok! I would probably visit Independence Square and the National Museum, as I do enjoy history. I also like the idea of the Ministry of Crab in the old Dutch hospital – more for the architecture of the building rather than the seafood 😉

I’ve never been to a floating market so even though it doesn’t sound like a nice experience in Colombo I’d still be interested in giving it a go. And the infinity pools sound like fun. Pity you have to stay there to use it though.

They do have a lounge right next to the infinity pool from where you can enjoy good views of the coast and the city’s skyline but yeah, you cannot use the infinity pool unless you’re a guest at the hotel.

So bad your Colombo trip isn’t recommendable. I wish the tourism ministry would read reviews like this and work on their cities. Just like you, Seema Malaka and the views from Sky lounge are my favourites. Thanks for the guide, at least, anyone visiting will be thoughtful.

It’s awful when you have don’t like a city., especially if there has been a lot of hype about it. My husband spent a couple of months in Sri Lanka and loved the country, but also not the city. I might be tempted to spend a day or two just to try the Ministry of Crab and catch a sunset from one of those fabulous rooftop bars!

This is incredibly helpful since I’ll be heading to Sri Lanka in a couple of weeks and I look forward to trying some of the things mentioned on your list. I’m looking forward to Sri Lankan food in particular!

Dear Medha, first of all, thank you for your story.
A couple of friends who went to Colombo during their honeymoon confirmed me most of the information I read in this article, this makes me feel confident what you have written is authentic. I often have desired to visit Sri Lanka, especially because I am very curious to visit the temples, and being able to lose myself in the multiple decorations of this kind of architecture. They did not visit the Pettah’s street market, but reading about it made me curious to visit this also. The food experience will make me feel really enthusiastic, because I love exotic food, so I will opt for the Sri Lankan food for sure!

Sri Lanka is amazing overall and has great temples scattered across the country. It’s just that the capital city itself doesn’t have much to offer. It’s better to go out and explore areas like Sigiriya, Nuwara Eliya, Galle, Bentota, etc.

Great post. I definitely appreciated your honestly. To be honest I have heard a few people say they didn’t like colombo, but they really enjoyed the more rural bits. I will certainly keep this in mind if I am lucky enough to visit.

The Temple looks nice a great place for photography for sure.
There are things in our travelling life that we get disappointed to the places we visit ( is it because its dirty, so crowded, poor place) we travel to experience different places, their culture,food and the locals- The places we see dont change for us just to please our expectations but it changes us as we see the world!

I would really love to visit Sri Lanka. After reading your post, I would probably devote only an afternoon and an evening in the capital to visit the Malaka temple which seemed really nice, try the local cuisine and drink a cocktail in one of the rooftop bars while watching the sunset. Thanks for the tips!

I’m going to Sri Lanka in a few days, arriving in Colombo. So this guide (though you obviously really disliked the city) is a good starting point for my explorations.
I find that having such a short time as you did can sometimes prevent me from truly appreciating a place/city. Having the time to just get lost, wander around, try some street food or drinks can show you different sides of the place. So I’m not giving up on Colombo just yet 😉

A shame you didn’t enjoy your time in Colombo but I appreciate your honesty! I’ve heard a lot about the smaller towns and cultural things to do in Sri Lanka (which sound amazing) and I have to say that Colombo never held the same attraction for me – even less so now! But thanks for the list of things to do if a stop there is unavoidable!

That’s sad to hear that the capital city was such a disappointment…and I glad you shared your experiences and suggestions about skipping it right in the beginning. I might be visiting Sri Lanka soon, so it’s good to know 🙂

I visited Colombo after staying in Chennai and found it refreshingly clean, hassle free and peaceful. I didn’t spend long there – one of my writers went back a year later and had 24 hours there, which she raved about. She also stayed at hotel in Colombo which seemed to have its own beach and did an open top jeep tour of the City, which looked fun!
That said, I loved Sri Lanka as a whole and if you were asking me to rate Sri Lankan destinations, I wouldn’t put Colombo up high either – it just seemed better to me than Chennai. There are so many variables though – from the weather through to your own personal interests.

It’s a shame that you really didn’t like it – but it’s good that you’ve been honest.

Well, I wouldn’t compare it with Chennai, because that isn’t a city I like either! True, your perception of a destination depends a lot on your personal interests and experiences and unfortunately, Colombo failed to impress me in any way 🙂

Wow, I am sold at visiting Colombo! I would love to enjoy the views from a roof top infinity pool. And the cuisine sounds amazing – that egg hopper looks delicious. Glad to know we can enjoy all of your ten suggestions within 24 hours. I love having a full day of being able to see everything.

I’ve never been to Sri Lanka, but the photos look beautiful. Shame about the disappointment about Colombo, but I’m glad you were honest! I remember the floating market in Thailand, and wasn’t impressed, and felt bad for the locals actually! Still nice you saw some lovely sights here!

I completely agree with you Medha. Even during our visit to Sri Lanka, we were in Colombo for a day and didn’t like the city at all. The city was filthy and too much jam-packed. For sure next time when we travel to Sri Lanka, we will skip Colombo. Anyways your pictures are great and it can make anyone drool to visit the place.

We were transiting through Colombo and had a few hours to spare and so took a quick tour of the city. Of course, it was just skimming the surface, but we liked what we saw. There are so many sights and experiences that we have left to do in Colomb and Sri Lanka that the Emerald island must be visited once again.

I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy your time at Colombo. It happened once in a while and it was part of the journey. One of the biggest concerns about traveling to less-developed places is the hygiene. Glad you still managed to enjoy some local cuisine, such as at Palmyrah!

It is somewhat amusing that your photos look completely different from what you are saying. You have made Colombo look really great and most people will immediately book the ticket if they just see the pictures. Especially the temple is beautiful and the food looks great!

I’ve always wanted to visit a floating market too, but that’s too bad it was dirty! I would probably still visit this one if I was in Colombo, but that’s good to know not to be too excited about the condition of it.

Sorry you had such a disappointing experience, but I actually like some of your suggestions! I would love to relax in that infinity pool, and would definitely want to get some pictures from the top of that rooftop bar. Even Seema Malaka Temple looks rather enjoyable. I’m not sure I would make a special trip here, but I would definitely consider checking it out if I was in the area!

Sorry to hear that the city disappointed. I figure you’ll eventually find a place that isn’t all that when you travel long enough! Seema Malaka Temple does look quite interesting, but yes, if that’s the best thing the city has going for it and it only takes 30 minutes, might have to rethink whether it’s worth traveling.

That said, I wouldn’t say no to an infinity pool over the Indian Ocean!

This is the first post I have ever seen on Colombo so thanks for sharing. When I started reading I thought I would give it a miss but actually the temple looks cool. I also definitely like the idea of a cocktail by one of those rooftop pools.

We’ve never been to Sri Lanka, but would definitely want to go there one day. And it’s good to know that we should skip Colombo though. If we had to stay there, we’d definitely also spend time on the lake where the Seema Malaka Temple is, or stroll in the Virahamahadevi Park, as both places look quite peaceful. Since we’re both history buffs and food lovers, we would go to the National Museum too, as well as the floating market to taste some fresh local fruits. By the way, I didn’t know that every full moon is a public holiday! :O

The Seema Malaka Temple looks really pretty and I can understand why you put it on top of your list. Did you have any problems with your stomach that you don’t recommend to try the street food? It’s good to know that they don’t serve you alcohol during full moon. I’d love to try one of those Hoppers 🙂

Haha my stomach is pretty strong, I’ve grown up eating street food in India 😉 It’s just that it’s not the cleanest and healthiest to try, be sure you have a pretty strong tummy to be able to handle it. Pretty much what I tell people when they visit India!

Usually people rush off to Anuradhapura and other place, good to know it is worthwhile to spend time in Colombo other than beaches. Those egg hoppers look so tempting. ? An evening in roof top Sky lounge sounds very inviting. I may avoid the casino though.

I had less than 24 hours in Colombo and I kept telling myself, next time keep more time for the city. I spent good half say at National Museum that prepared me for my road trip to Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla, and Candy. I quite enjoyed walking around the city and found it cleaner than most Indian cities.

I stayed at Cinnamon red, but then I am not a bar person at all. I went up only to see the night view of the city.

Fantastic list of things to do in Sri Lanka. I have never been to our friendly neighbour and would love to visit it in 2018. I am not much into temples, shopping and nightlife, so probably I’ll go for more nature stuff. But good list for families and couples.

I’m sorry you were so disappointed, and I appreciate you sharing your experience so travelers can plan other itineraries instead. Your photos are beautiful, though, and it looks like you still managed to see some interesting things!

Well first, I love the photo of Sunset view from Sky Lounge, it is lovely and relaxing. I am sorry if you did not enjoy the city of Colombo but really thanks for recommending other destinations that everybody can enjoy. Thanks for sharing this post and for being honest.

I do rarely read a travel post that isn’t a rave review. I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the city, but thanks for your honestly! I won’t put it on my list. I was, however, most intrigued by the full moon holiday!

I was too. In most countries, a full moon day usually means parties! I was excited that it might also be the case in Colombo and then realised, it’s the exact opposite. Couldn’t get a drop of alcohol anywhere.

Hi there!

I'm a travel blogger and storyteller who loves adventure, food and wine, roadtripping, camping, hiking and everything crazy! I'm high on life and have springs under my feet. I love mountains as much as beaches, I'm a sucker for good deals and budget travel and a total romantic at heart!